Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - Mission Connections - Amanda Craft and Omar Chanhttp://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda/Mission Connections information from Amanda Craft and Omar Chanen-usTue, 21 Apr 2015 13:48:40 -0400A letter from Amanda Craft serving as Regional Liaison for Mexico and Guatemala and Omar Chan serving in Mexico, April 2015http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2015-04/<h2 class="beta">A letter from Amanda Craft serving as Regional Liaison for Mexico and Guatemala and Omar Chan serving in Mexico</h2>
<h4 class="zeta">April 2015 - Unexpected Gifts</h4>
<p>Unexpected gifts: sharing ministry activities in El Paso and Ciudad Juarez</p>
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<p class="caption">Omar and Amanda with PC(USA) General Assembly Moderator Dr. Heath Rada, his wife, Peggy, and others in the delegation during the visit to El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez</p>
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<p class="caption">Moderator Dr. Heath Rada meeting several board members of Pasos de Fe binational ministry site</p>
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<p class="caption">Preparing to pray with General Assembly Moderator Rada during a visit to a monument created to remember the women and girls&mdash;those murdered and missing&mdash;in Ciudad Juarez</p>
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<p class="caption">Several of the adolescent boys who are a part of the skills training program at Pasos de Fe</p>
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<p class="caption">NCC delegation at Pasos de Fe. PC(USA) Stated Clerk, Grayde Parsons, is seated in the front right-hand corner.</p>
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<p class="caption">Casa Amiga trainer sharing about therapy techniques utilizing dolls with children.</p>
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<p class="caption">Cross at the International Bridge as you leave Ciudad Juarez to cross in the United States. "Not One More" represents the women and girl victims of femecide.</p>
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<p><em>&ldquo;Although it was a sunny day in Ciudad Juarez, the chilly air inside the cinderblock community center of Pasos de Fe made me shiver.&nbsp; The steamy cup of coffee in my hands helped a bit.&nbsp; However, it was the unexpected exchange between a group of adolescent boys from an impoverished community in Juarez and the PC(USA) General Assembly Moderator, Rev. Dr. Heath Rada, that really warmed the room.&nbsp; It truly is an honor to be part of how the Holy Spirit moves in this world.&rdquo;</em>&mdash;A reflection by Amanda Craft from the PC(USA) General Assembly moderator&rsquo;s visit to Pasos de Fe, a Presbyterian Border Region Outreach ministry site</p>
<p>We were fortunate to host two very important delegations to El Paso and Ciudad Juarez to learn more about border ministries.&nbsp; The first visit was with a group traveling with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 2014 General Assembly moderator, Rev. Dr. Heath Rada.&nbsp; The second was with the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. (NCC).&nbsp; Several highlights stand out from these visits.</p>
<p>To begin with, we were invited to host the Radas, Heath and his wife, Peggy, through a visit of several sites in Ciudad Juarez.&nbsp; The general missioner of Tres Rios Presbytery, Rev. Dr. Jose Luis Casal, was instrumental in organizing the visit.&nbsp; Tres Rios Presbytery appoints representatives to the Pasos de Fe board.&nbsp; Jose, accompanied by his wife, Cecilia, with Rev. Dr. Dan Saperstein, co-leader for Mission and Partnership of the Synod of the Sun, and Bart Teeter, moderator of Tres Rios Presbytery, were also part of the visiting group. We discussed ministries along the border, historic and present, that have touched so many.&nbsp; It was not possible to talk about border ministries without noting the challenges this part of the world has experienced since the spike in violence since 2008 and the severed ties of the two national churches&mdash;the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico&mdash;in 2011.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>
<p>U.S.&ndash;Mexico border ministry has celebrated 30 years of work along the border, and World Mission has been an important partner in that ministry.&nbsp; So, in spite of these current realities, we emphasized a renewed commitment by the six sites along the border to working more closely together. The organization formerly known as Presbyterian Border Ministry now has a new name, Presbyterian Border Region Outreach (PBRO), and a new mission: to address root causes of poverty and violence, especially as they affect women and children.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Next, we stood in a sacred place, a monument created in memory of the murdered or missing women and girls of Juarez. The monument was constructed on land where six young women&rsquo;s corpses were found in two days, a few of the hundreds of victims of femicide in Juarez. It now stood as a reminder of these atrocities and for the ongoing need to keep investigations alive in search of the many still missing.&nbsp; In this space of quiet reminder of the brokenness of this world, PC(USA) General Assembly Moderator Dr. Heath K. Rada led us in prayer to remember the lives lost, to remember those who continue to search in hope to find loved ones, and to remember those who are working to make life safer for girls and women.</p>
<p>Soon afterward we were treated to meeting a special group of young men who come from households that suffer from scarce resources.&nbsp; They are at risk of falling into gangs and organized crime as their families struggle to provide them with meals, shelter, and education.&nbsp; Hermano Isaias Ramirez started working with these and others, offering a training program in electrical, plumbing, and air conditioning ductwork. &nbsp;Pasos de Fe provides space and economic and spiritual support for these individuals.&nbsp; The boys in our midst, a small group representing the program, told the group that the program provides them something that will benefit them in the future and that it&rsquo;s fun to do the trainings with friends.&nbsp; Moderator Rada kindly encouraged them to stay involved with the program and their studies.&nbsp; He could see how encouraged they were by it and he in turn was encouraged by what they can do. At the end of our gathering Dr. Rada prayed again, ending this time together and blessing the wonderful work he experienced during the visit to Pasos de Fe.&nbsp; Amanda&rsquo;s reflection at the beginning of this newsletter is from this moment.</p>
<p>With the NCC delegation we visited Casa Amiga, a partner organization of Pasos de Fe and PC(USA) churches in El Paso, Texas, to learn about how this organization is the first in Juarez to receive women who are victims of violence. Jim Winkler, general secretary and president of the National Council of the Churches of Christ, said of the visit:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">&ldquo;&hellip;Our group was privileged to observe a therapist demonstrate to a group of prospective counselors a technique utilizing dolls to help children open up about violence they have experienced and observed. A child is asked to point to where the doll has been hurt and then asked what size bandage is needed. The child places the bandage on the doll and is told the bandage helps the doll feel better and better. Soon the child understands and tells the therapist when the doll doesn&rsquo;t hurt anymore.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">&ldquo;Then the child is asked what happened to the doll, what part of the doll was hurt. It&rsquo;s an interview but without a lot of questions. The therapist wants to be sure the child identifies with the healing of the doll.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">&ldquo;Thanks is given to God that the doll feels better. This enables children to understand they, too, can be part of their own healing process.&rdquo;</p>
<p>What a gift to be invited to experience important learning in these students&rsquo; training. We witnessed how they are uniquely caring for these individuals.</p>
<p>We are grateful that ministries at Pasos de Fe are growing again.&nbsp; Their renewed commitment to accompanying those in their community is exciting.&nbsp; God&rsquo;s abundant love is evident.</p>
<p>The encouragement of and interest in the ministries in which we engage have kept us inspired and motivated.&nbsp; We hope you understand how God&rsquo;s light is shining and God&rsquo;s mission is alive especially along the U.S.&ndash;Mexico border because you enable significant ministries to grow. We invite you to continue to play this key role by praying for us, learning more about the work we are a part of, and supporting us financially.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Blessings of peace to you,<br />Omar, Amanda, Alejandro and Matteo</p>
<p>The <em>2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study,</em> p. 44<br /> <a href="/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda/">Read more</a> about Amanda Craft and Omar Chan's ministries<br /> Blog: <a href="https://amandacraft.wordpress.com/2015/01/30/voices-from-the-border-and-beyond-understanding-the-root-causes-of-migration/">Walking with Guatemalan sisters in faith</a></p>
<p><a href="mailto:mamanda.craft@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Amanda Craft<br /> <a href="mailto:Omar.chan@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Omar Chan<br /> <em>Individuals:</em> <a href="/donate/E200512/">Give</a> online to E200512 for Amanda Craft's and Omar Chan's sending and support<br /> <em>Congregations:</em> Give to D507508 for Amanda Craft's and Omar Chan's sending and support<br />Churches are asked to send donations through your congregation&rsquo;s normal receiving site (this is usually your presbytery).</p>Amanda Craft and Omar ChanTue, 21 Apr 2015 13:48:40 -0400http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2015-04/A letter from Amanda Craft serving as Regional Liaison for Mexico and Guatemala and Omar Chan serving in Mexico, March 2015http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2015-03/<h2 class="beta">A letter from Amanda Craft serving as Regional Liaison for Mexico and Guatemala and Omar Chan serving in Mexico</h2>
<h4 class="zeta">March 2015 - Annual Ministry Update, 2014</h4>
<p><strong>2014, what a year to be involved in mission!</strong></p>
<p>As Lent has arrived, we have taken time for reflection and retrospection.&nbsp; Part of that process has led us to also remember the many works that were achieved last year as Omar and I moved into two different mission co-worker positions.&nbsp; Our journey to our new life and call reminds us of Paul&rsquo;s time in Tyre, from Acts 21:5-6, &ldquo;When our days there were ended, we left and proceeded on our journey; and all of them, with wives and children, escorted us outside the city. There we knelt down on the beach and prayed and said farewell to one another. Then we went on board the ship, and they returned home.&rdquo;&nbsp; Our current journey in Guatemala ended as we endeavored to begin different ministries.&nbsp; We had to say farewell to loved ones in Guatemala to start anew along the U.S.-Mexico border.</p>
<p>Here are highlights from 2014:</p>
<p><em>January</em> &ndash; Omar moved into a new PC(USA) mission co-worker position as the Facilitator for Presbyterian Border Region Outreach (PBRO).&nbsp; He participated in World Mission&rsquo;s orientation in Louisville, Ky., with other mission co-workers training to head out to international locations.</p>
<p><em>February</em> &ndash; Omar had the opportunity to make his first PBRO border site visit to Frontera de Cristo to learn more about the variety of ministries happening there.&nbsp; Omar and Amanda attended a PBRO Board of Directors meeting in El Paso, Texas.&nbsp; We had the opportunity to meet folks from each of the six border sites and learn what they are doing.&nbsp; Since we would be moving to El Paso later in the year, we explored El Paso and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.</p>
<p><em>March</em> &ndash; Omar started work on communication methods for PBRO&mdash;website, newsletters, Facebook page, and display materials.</p>
<p><em>April</em> &ndash; The farewells for Amanda and Omar begin as we prepare to move from Guatemala.</p>
<p><em>May</em> &ndash; Omar and Amanda welcomed Sandi and Brian Thompson-Royer, newly commissioned PC(USA) mission co-workers, to Guatemala.&nbsp; Amanda attended the Synod Assembly meeting for the National Evangelical Presbyterian Church (IENPG).&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>June</em> &ndash; The women of the Union Sinodica Femenil hosted a special lunch for Omar and Amanda to bid us farewell.&nbsp; Omar started his transition to the U.S.&nbsp; Omar and Amanda attended the 221<sup>st</sup> General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).&nbsp; We were both commissioned as mission co-workers and planned and managed a booth for PBRO at the event.&nbsp; It was the re-introduction of border ministries.&nbsp; Alejandro turns 5.</p>
<p><em>July</em> &ndash; Began the move to El Paso, Texas.&nbsp; Omar traveled from Louisville, Ky., with house possessions to El Paso and then secured housing.&nbsp; Amanda and the boys arrived in El Paso in late July.&nbsp; The scramble began for school registration.</p>
<p><em>August </em>&ndash; Omar dove into learning about border ministries, trying to gather a better idea about how each site operates.&nbsp; He began planning trips to each site.&nbsp; Alejandro began kindergarten and Matteo started his new preschool class.</p>
<p><em>September </em>&ndash; Omar visited two border sites to continue this learning and to begin observing the particulars of these sites.&nbsp; Amanda planned and facilitated the Guatemala Mission Network meeting in Louisville, Ky.&nbsp; Mid-month, Amanda headed to Iowa for a church visit in Fort Dodge. &nbsp;Matteo turns 2.</p>
<p><em>October</em> &ndash; Omar visited three of the border sites.&nbsp; Amanda and Omar were introduced to work at Pasos de Fe, the border site in El Paso/Ciudad Juarez.&nbsp; Family traveled to El Salvador for the Latin America and Caribbean PC(USA) mission co-worker regional gathering.&nbsp; Amanda traveled to Guatemala to renew covenants between the PC(USA) and both global partners in Guatemala: CEDEPCA and the IENPG.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>November </em>&ndash; Omar attended the Border to Border: Coffee, Migration, and Faith travel seminar hosted by Frontera de Cristo to learn more about Caf&eacute; Justo and how this program is providing coffee growers in southern Mexico with a viable life.&nbsp; Amanda gave a Sunday school presentation at University Presbyterian Church in El Paso, Texas, about doing mission in partnership.&nbsp; The family attended the 30<sup>th</sup> year anniversary of Frontera de Cristo and PBRO in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>December</em> &ndash; Amanda led an Advent reflection with the PC(USA) mission co-workers serving in Guatemala.&nbsp; Omar continued compiling information about the various border sites, pulling together a report of his initial observations.&nbsp; Final plans for the Voices from the Border and Beyond trip occur.&nbsp; The family travels to Ky. and Pa. to visit with family during the Christmas holiday.&nbsp; This is the first time the entire family could travel for such a visit since 2009.&nbsp; It was a time of rest, relaxation, and lots of fun with cousins for the boys.</p>
<p>We made huge transitions this past year, especially as we moved our family back to the United States.&nbsp; The boys struggled initially as they found their ways in new schools and a new culture.&nbsp; Both of us have been challenged to say farewell to colleagues, friends, and loved ones and arrive in a context in which we had to learn a new culture and begin to understand the history and present realities of the U.S.-Mexico border and each border site. In spite of those challenges, we have felt God&rsquo;s accompaniment and presence in our lives&mdash;we have found a supportive and enriching church community in El Paso, we have been genuinely welcomed into the lives of our partners in Ciudad Juarez, Omar has been well received at each of the sites, and Amanda has been fortunate to work with a gifted and dedicated team of mission co-workers along the U.S.-Mexico border and in Guatemala.&nbsp; We are fully aware that God has blessed us with these special moments in our work and family life.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We must thank you for the support and patience you have offered our family during this time of transition.&nbsp; Your encouragement of and interest in the ministries in which we engage have kept us inspired and motivated.&nbsp; We invite you to continue to play this key role by praying for us, learning more about the work we are a part of, and supporting us financially.&nbsp; We hope you understand how God&rsquo;s light is shining and God&rsquo;s mission is alive in this world because you enable significant ministries to endure.</p>
<p>Blessings of peace to you,<br />Omar, Amanda, Alejandro and Matteo</p>
<p>The <em>2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study,</em> p. 44<br /> <a href="/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda/">Read more</a> about Amanda Craft and Omar Chan's ministries<br /> Blog: <a href="https://amandacraft.wordpress.com/2015/01/30/voices-from-the-border-and-beyond-understanding-the-root-causes-of-migration/">Walking with Guatemalan sisters in faith</a></p>
<p><a href="mailto:mamanda.craft@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Amanda Craft<br /> <a href="mailto:Omar.chan@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Omar Chan<br /> <em>Individuals:</em> <a href="/donate/E200512/">Give</a> online to E200512 for Amanda Craft's and Omar Chan's sending and support<br /> <em>Congregations:</em> Give to D507508 for Amanda Craft's and Omar Chan's sending and support</p>
<p>Churches are asked to send donations through your congregation&rsquo;s normal receiving site (this is usually your presbytery).</p>Amanda Craft and Omar ChanTue, 14 Apr 2015 11:30:29 -0400http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2015-03/A Letter from Amanda Craft serving as Regional Liaison for Mexico and Guatemala, Fall 2014http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2014-10/<h2 class="beta">A Letter from Amanda Craft serving as Regional Liaison for Mexico and Guatemala</h2>
<h4 class="zeta">Fall 2014 - <strong>Being&nbsp; Vulnerable</strong></h4>
<p>Do I know how to be vulnerable, especially in my relationship with God?&nbsp; I was struck by this question from a friend&rsquo;s thank-you note.</p>
<p>I was privileged to lead a Sunday school class at University Presbyterian Church in El Paso, Texas, on the reflection book, <em>When Helping Hurts: The Small Group Experience</em>.&nbsp; I was asked to lead the unit on &ldquo;Seeing God at Work.&rdquo;&nbsp; Looking through the book, I was excited by the challenge to think through how I&rsquo;ve seen God at work and how I&rsquo;ve seen God&rsquo;s work obstructed by our humanness and brokenness.</p>
<p>We spent time thinking about how we relate to those we hope to help and why we give to them.&nbsp; We can give out of a place of shame, which comes from within.&nbsp; We can give because we think we have to.&nbsp; We can give because we think this will appease those asking.&nbsp; We can give because we think money is the solution.&nbsp; We can give because we feel sorry for those poor people.&nbsp; We can give out a place of brokenness.</p>
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<p class="caption">Presbiterial Transversal del Norte in the Queqchi Region of Guatemala. I visited with the Sinodica leadership for the welcome and installation event for the women's presbytery group.</p>
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<p>In this scenario of giving, we belittle the other in the story.&nbsp; The giving is not about the positive change it can create in lives but more about what it means to our own.&nbsp; The giver is the one with the power and the receiver is at the giver&rsquo;s whim.&nbsp; We are not giving because we believe that the recipients are doing work that should be celebrated, but because we think they cannot survive without us.&nbsp; It is a one-sided conversation based solely on the giver&rsquo;s perspective.</p>
<p>But what happens when we allow the recipient the chance to share his or her story?&nbsp; What if they begin to tell you about how they are changing their community with their own resources?&nbsp; What if they say that they do not want you to feel bad for them?&nbsp; What if they want you to make an investment in work that&rsquo;s already moving them to a better place?&nbsp; What if the protagonist in the story wasn&rsquo;t the giver but was the receiver?</p>
<p>Flashback:&nbsp; Village of Bethenia, Alta Verapa, Guatemala, 2013&hellip; When I arrived at this particular community late one April night, I was shocked by what I saw.&nbsp; And this came even after living among extreme poverty for several years.&nbsp; As I entered the church building, it took a moment for my eyes to take everything in and my brain to register what was before me.&nbsp; The dirt floor, the clapboard walls, the single solitary light hanging from the ceiling, and the 100+ faces looking back at me came into focus.&nbsp; Then my eyes scanned more closely the children&mdash;their discolored hair, their damaged teeth, and their small stature.&nbsp; Then it hits me&mdash;they are suffering from malnutrition.&nbsp; I humbly leave the talking to the other women who were accompanying me.&nbsp; Once our worship service was concluded, I exited the building overwhelmed by what I had just seen. Not minutes later, the pastor of the church is asking me, and only me, to meet with a few women from the church.&nbsp; Mixed emotions scramble in my stomach, and I begin to feel inadequate for what I am about to face.&nbsp; As I enter the room, I see the women sitting there.&nbsp; They begin to share with me the problems facing their community, and I have no words or solutions that will ease the suffering caused by these problems.&nbsp; Then something comes to me.&nbsp; I pick up my phone and begin to talk with a few contacts I have with other community organizations located in this region to see what they might suggest.&nbsp; They agree to visit the community in the next week to talk through possibilities.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In a place of desperation and in tears, we take each other&rsquo;s hands and begin to pray.&nbsp; We pray about the pain around us and how this community is suffering.&nbsp; We pray for the lives directly affected by the lack of clean water, lack of enough nutritious food, and the lack of access to land.&nbsp; We pray for those who are underemployed and underpaid.&nbsp; We pray for those who are not able to access adequate healthcare for their families.&nbsp; And then we pray for the leaders of several local and national organizations that have been contacted to help them.&nbsp; We pray for the sister from the United States (me) who was in their midst and made those contacts on their behalf.&nbsp; And finally we pray for the many blessings God offers this community.</p>
<p>I shared this story with the Sunday school class at University Presbyterian Church because I think it highlights so well that how we live out these relationships can shift how we live and honor each other.&nbsp; It was not about me fixing their problems, but I was a channel for how to help them find allies to assist them.&nbsp; These organizations were far better equipped to offer viable solutions that worked locally.&nbsp; God provided a connection and link to the larger family waiting to walk with others.&nbsp; This was an example of how if we are willing to hear each other, God&rsquo;s work can occur and even shine.</p>
<p>In that Sunday school class I also offered stories that illustrated far less positive results.&nbsp; Stories that showed how givers bulldozed through the receivers, offering solutions to problems that communities did not even identify.&nbsp; With good and faithful intentions, the projects and programs initiated could not be sustained by the local community because they were not what they wanted in the first place.&nbsp; We often make mistakes in mission work.</p>
<p>The conversation went well and participants enjoyed the class.&nbsp; Many gave supportive evaluations of the class time.&nbsp; I was pleased I could be with them to facilitate this unit.</p>
<p>A few days later the pastor intern, Tim Gray, sent me a thank-you note for my time and energy.&nbsp; In the note he also thanked me for being vulnerable.&nbsp; And this is precisely what made me ponder the question I raised at the start of this newsletter: do I know how to be vulnerable, especially in my relationship with God?</p>
<p>This reflection caused me to think about that Sunday school class and a few lessons I failed to address with the participants.&nbsp; Our vulnerability is exactly what allows us to glimpse our brokenness.&nbsp; It is a gift that gives clarity to how our relationships with self, others, and God are broken and how they need our attention. &nbsp;I am always struck by a Guatemalan&rsquo;s ability to stay faithful, and I am starting to realize that they are willing to be vulnerable to God.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the United States we are taught to think about having answers or otherwise we are seen as failures.&nbsp; This kind of teaching happens early in our lives, and it is good for creating a sense of independence and the ability to have a voice to advocate on our behalf.&nbsp; However, this solution-based thinking limits us when relating to communities that have unique problems that beg for unique solutions.&nbsp; God created each of us in God&rsquo;s image, calling us to be different and bring distinct and valid voices to the table.&nbsp; When we are not quiet and patient to allow those voices to come forth, we obstruct how God might be working through someone else.&nbsp; In trying to fix our brokenness, we are not asked to come to our relationships with all of the answers.&nbsp; God invites us into a relationship that gives us the opportunity to be freed from that need to always be &ldquo;fixers&rdquo; so that God may work through others.&nbsp; In our quiet learning about and from one another, we are actually affirming the other in this story, and we all know the beauty that occurs when this happens.</p>
<p>Mission work infects us because it gives us a space to be vulnerable with God and with others.&nbsp; We are touched by how others can be faithful through times of struggle, and we are touched when they want to share those struggles with us.&nbsp; And if I can allow myself to be vulnerable with God through these experiences, my relationship becomes more authentic, honest, and real.&nbsp; Out of that comes an ability to really see others and how God is working through them.&nbsp; Many often say they can actually feel the Holy Spirit moving when they are involved in a mission experience.&nbsp; God becomes real in a way we cannot often understand when we are in our own context.&nbsp; That is what inspires me and many others in mission service.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We are all a small part of this work, and it is when we can work together that we feel connected to the larger Christian family and are connected to the abundant love God wants to share in the world.&nbsp; Your part in this plan is essential and necessary, and I give thanks for each one of you.&nbsp; I invite you to consider using <em>When Helping Hurts</em> and the companion guide, <em>When Helping Hurts: The Small Group Experience</em> with your congregation to learn more about how to minister with and among others.&nbsp; And I invite you to contemplate continuing your generous and faithful financial and prayerful support for my family and me.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To give financially, please go to: <a href="/donate/make-a-gift/gift-info/102/">http://www.presbyterianmission.org/donate/make-a-gift/gift-info/102/</a>.&nbsp; And choose a link if you want to donate to a different cause.&nbsp; Our account is E200512 (or use the link below).</p>
<p>To provide other kind words of support:<br />Email: <a href="mailto:Amanda.craft@pcusa.org">Amanda.craft@pcusa.org</a> or <a>amanda.craft06@gmail.com</a>Phone: 502.599.2682</p>
<p>Please know that as we journey together we are working to right the broken relationships.<br />Amanda</p>
<p>The <em>2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study,</em> p. 35<br /> The <em>2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study,</em> p. 44<br /> <a href="/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda/">Read more</a> about Amanda Craft and Omar Chan's ministries</p>
<p><a href="mailto:mamanda.craft@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Amanda Craft<br /> <a href="mailto:Omar.chan@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Omar Chan<br /> <em>Individuals:</em> <a href="/donate/E200512/">Give</a> online to E200512 for Amanda Craft's and Omar Chan's sending and support<br /> <em>Congregations:</em> Give to D507508 for Amanda Craft's and Omar Chan's sending and support<br />Churches are asked to send donations through your congregation&rsquo;s normal receiving site (this is usually your presbytery).</p>
<p><strong>Double Your Impact!<em><br /></em></strong>A group of committed donors has pledged to match all gifts sent by individuals for mission personnel support now through December 31, 2014, up to $137,480. &nbsp;This means your gift today will be matched by a gift to support mission personnel around the world, wherever the need is greatest. We invite you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to double the impact of your gift. Thank you!</p>Amanda Craft and Omar ChanWed, 10 Dec 2014 10:42:55 -0500http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2014-10/A Letter from Omar Chan serving at the U.S./Mexico border, November 2014http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2014-11/<h2 class="beta">A letter from Omar Chan serving at the U.S./Mexico border</h2>
<h3 class="zeta">November 2014 - <strong>Roberto&rsquo;s Story</strong></h3>
<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;Omar, welcome to the border.&nbsp; We are glad you&rsquo;re here&rdquo; is the greeting I receive as I sit down for lunch.&nbsp; I had just finished my first board meeting with the Pasos de Fe border site between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.&nbsp; We were sitting down to share in a lunch of fish tacos.</p>
<p>Pastor Roberto didn&rsquo;t stop there. He continued to share his personal story.&nbsp; He invited me into his life and the work on the border with what he shared.&nbsp; Roberto is a young pastor and has only been in Juarez for a few years.&nbsp; However, his life has crossed ministries along several U.S./Mexico border sites and it highlights the transformative work that has occurred.</p>
<div class="photoleft300"><img src="/site_media/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/craftchan_1411(w)-1_medium300.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />
<p class="caption">Pastor Roberto with his son at a Father's Day activity</p>
</div>
<p>When he was an adolescent, Roberto was trapped in the desperation of having few options.&nbsp; Employment opportunities were difficult to come upon, and university studies never fit.&nbsp; He floated in and out of part-time work and soon found a remedy to his problems in alcohol and drugs.&nbsp; Both drugs and alcohol were easy to find and many of his friends used, too, so it did not seem like he was choosing the wrong path.&nbsp; However, quickly he became addicted to both.&nbsp; As his addiction grew stronger, his life began to spiral, and his family and friends began to notice.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Fortunately a family friend encouraged him to seek help, letting him know that he could find his way out.&nbsp; This friend even offered to accompany him to a ministry program at one of the Presbyterian churches in town.&nbsp; This ministry was one organized by Compa&ntilde;eros en Mision, one of the border ministry sites of Presbyterian Border Region Outreach (PBRO), and it helps addicts find medical assistance for their physical addiction, psychological assistance for their emotional addiction, and spiritual help for their brokenness.&nbsp; Roberto found a place there and responded quickly to the positive environment.&nbsp; He became immersed in the world that opened as he participated in Bible studies that allowed him to look at Biblical teachings in a new way.&nbsp; Even in the midst of a dark chapter in his life, Roberto was invited to receive God&rsquo;s love and forgiveness.&nbsp; He made close friends while taking part in the program.&nbsp; His life was transformed.</p>
<p>Once he completed the program, Roberto had a new outlook on and calling in life.&nbsp; He felt a great need to attend seminary.&nbsp; This ministry had saved his life and the Word had brought him back to life.&nbsp; He knew there was something different God was now asking him to do.&nbsp; Roberto was given a second chance, and he wanted to give back.&nbsp; Seminary training seemed like the next logical step.&nbsp; He attended seminary with a good friend from the program, and they continued to encourage one another.&nbsp; Roberto successfully completed his seminary studies and quickly sought a call as a pastor.&nbsp; He served several small churches in northern Mexico before coming to Juarez.</p>
<p>Roberto has found a good church to serve in Ciudad Juarez, and his family is doing well there.&nbsp; However, he says what really invigorates him is the time he can give back to the community, especially to border ministries.&nbsp; He is serving as a board member for the Pasos de Fe site for the Mexican partners, and it is clear that he is dedicated to helping this site grow.&nbsp; Prior to 2008 this site like many of the other border sites was doing well.&nbsp; They received many PC(USA) and other church groups that visited a few weeks out of the year to help with a variety of programs and projects: building churches, running vacation Bible schools, helping with a childcare center, donating other resources and materials.&nbsp; Out of these visits came additional funds to assist with ongoing programs at the site.&nbsp; Then the U.S. economy floundered and violence hit Juarez.&nbsp; Both crippled the sustainability of Pasos de Fe.&nbsp; Many church delegations were restricted to fewer trips, and they decided Juarez was too dangerous.&nbsp; They just stopped coming.&nbsp; Without the income generated from the groups and the secondary donations that followed the visits, the site was left with a stark future.&nbsp; This is where Roberto steps in.</p>
<p>As the violence subsides in Ciudad Juarez and the community begins to rebuild, Pasos de Fe Community Center is situated perfectly in the midst of a community that was hard hit by the violence and already existing poverty, with many young people falling into the hands of drug cartels or local gang-related groups.&nbsp; Roberto is striving, alongside a few other tireless individuals, to dream about where the Center might go.&nbsp; The uncertain financial future does not seem to deter him.&nbsp; His life was saved and transformed by ministries he found at another border site.&nbsp; He would like to see something spark here, too.&nbsp; So slowly they are building a plan.&nbsp; At the moment they are working with a local electrician who uses the space to train recently paroled youth the trade and then finds work for them to offer an alternative to a violent lifestyle.&nbsp; They have organized several animal vaccination clinics to help individuals properly care for their pets and help control preventable disease among those animals.&nbsp; A small chapel located on the community center grounds is also reaching out to the community, holding Bible studies, weekly worship, and evangelistic campaigns.&nbsp; Several seminary students participate in the church giving them an opportunity to put their seminary studies into practice.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Roberto ensures that all of the activities run well as he works tirelessly behind the scenes.&nbsp; When we sit in the meeting before lunch, it is evident that he is often the one with the answers.&nbsp; He is the one who is holding the organization together.&nbsp; He is dreaming and wants to believe something new is possible.&nbsp; Pasos de Fe might have struggled as their previous ministries came to a halt because of the spike in violence.&nbsp; However, they are starting to find their way again.&nbsp; It will be interesting to see how they move forward in this next year, how they will grow, who they will involve.</p>
<p>I ask that you continue to hold up the many tireless volunteers who make this ministry possible at Pasos de Fe.&nbsp; I ask that you continue to pray for the PBRO board and myself as we think about how we can best resource this site to help them understand the needs in the community and how they can be allies in creating change.&nbsp; And I invite you to come to the border to learn more about the life-giving ministries occurring here, to see firsthand how people on both sides of the border are addressing the unique problems and concerns that affect their lives as neighbors.&nbsp; This work happens among believers because of believers.&nbsp; Please consider financially supporting my position as coordinator of the work along the six border sites.&nbsp; You might also consider a gift to this particular ministry site. God&rsquo;s love is alive here; we only need others&rsquo; collaboration to ensure that all can share and rejoice in it.&nbsp;&nbsp; We thank you!</p>
<p>Oman Chan</p>
<p>The <em>2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study,</em> p. 35<br /> The <em>2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study,</em> p. 44<br /> <a href="/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda/">Read more</a> about Omar Chan and Amanda Craft's ministries</p>
<p><a href="mailto:Omar.chan@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Omar Chan<br /> <a href="mailto:mamanda.craft@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Amanda Craft<br /> <em>Individuals:</em> Give online to <a href="mailto:http://www.presbyterianmission.org/donate/E200512/">E200512</a> for Omar Chan and Amanda Craft&rsquo;s sending and support<br /><em>Congregations:</em> Give to D507508 for Amanda Craft's sending and support<br />Churches are asked to send donations through your congregation&rsquo;s normal receiving site (this is usually your presbytery).</p>
<p><strong>Double Your Impact!</strong><br />A group of committed donors has pledged to match all gifts sent by individuals for mission personnel support now through December 31, 2014, up to $137,480. &nbsp;This means your gift today will be matched by a gift to support mission personnel around the world, wherever the need is greatest. We invite you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to double the impact of your gift. Thank you!<strong><br /></strong></p>Amanda Craft and Omar ChanWed, 10 Dec 2014 10:23:25 -0500http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2014-11/A Letter from Amanda Craft, Regional Liaison for Mexico and Guatemala, May 2014http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2014-052/<h2 class="beta">A Letter from Amanda Craft, Regional Liaison for Mexico and Guatemala</h2>
<h4 class="zeta">may 2014<strong>&nbsp;</strong><strong>&nbsp;</strong></h4>
<div>
<p>We woke excited about the day.&nbsp; We would be crossing the border for the first time, having the opportunity to meet the individuals we will soon be working among in our new assignment.&nbsp; The sunny, crisp spring day in El Paso seemed to hold all sorts of possibilities.</p>
<div class="photoleft250"><img src="/site_media/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/craft_1404(wp)-1_medium250.jpeg" alt="" width="250" height="187" />
<p class="caption">El Paso, Texas/Ciudad Juarez, Mexico border crossing</p>
</div>
<p>Omar, Matteo, and I load the car and head to the border crossing between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico.&nbsp; This is the largest international metropolitan region in the world. It is a place where the back-and-forth movement is constant and hefty.&nbsp; We park the car and head to see what the crossing is like.</p>
<p>All of us carry U.S. passports, making the trip quite simple.&nbsp; We paid our $1.00 to cross (Matteo&rsquo;s crossing being free) and headed out behind the others.&nbsp; As I had heard, the Rio Grande at this point is certainly not grand.&nbsp; Having been put to other uses farther northwest, the water is minimal and slow moving.&nbsp; The fence at this point is formal and towering. Along the bridge people make small talk, and we pass local Mexican street performers.&nbsp; We make it to the official entrance to Mexico with little fanfare.</p>
<p>As we waited for Pastor Felipe Barandiaran, we watched people coming and going.&nbsp; Some were dropped off to walk across the border, others were off to the market, and others were meandering to their next destination.&nbsp; However, the bustling along the streets was a stark contrast to movement on the U.S. side.&nbsp; Since there is not much happening businesswise near the border on the U.S. side, there were few people out in the streets.</p>
<p>A few minutes later Pastor Felipe, President of Tamaulipas Presbytery, stopped to pick us up.&nbsp; We drove the streets and stopped at three different community sites supported by Pasos de Fe, the border ministry shared between Tamaulipas Presbytery of the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico and Tres Rios Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).&nbsp; The ministry site has been struggling these past few years as the violence in Ciudad Juarez spiked.&nbsp; Many of the U.S. Presbyterian groups stopped coming and many in Mexico were overwhelmed by the violence so that their focus shifted from providing accompaniment to others in the community to protecting their own families.&nbsp; The sites we visited were starting a kind of rebirth as violence began to subside.&nbsp; The work was slow, but we could see movement at each site and individuals who were called to bring these initiatives to light.</p>
<div class="photoright250"><img src="/site_media/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/craft_1404(wp)-2_medium250.jpeg" alt="" width="250" height="333" />
<p class="caption">The Centro Familiar Cristiano sign</p>
</div>
<p>As we return to our hotel room, Omar and I debrief our visit.&nbsp; There were two things that struck us on this first trip to Juarez.&nbsp; First, we were surprised to see the level of state services available.&nbsp; This is something that is still lacking for most in Guatemala.&nbsp; Second, we were surprised by the feeling of, as Omar put so clearly, &ldquo;walking among a cemetery&rdquo; that seemed to embody the community.&nbsp; Dr. Monty Marshall&rsquo;s examination of protracted violence in <em>The Third World War</em> helped us frame what we were observing.&nbsp; He stated: &ldquo;The existence of violence, and especially systemic violence (i.e., protracted social conflict), creates or reinforces a social psychology of insecurity which tends to diffuse through the network of social ties&rdquo; (p. 120).&nbsp; The community thread that wove the community together was ripped apart violently, violence conducted mostly by those related to two warring drug cartels that in about four and a half years of armed conflict left more than 10,000 dead.&nbsp; That ripping apart left people without a sense of security and trust.&nbsp; All of their resources were spent on trying to protect their loved ones.&nbsp; No energy or desire remained to reach out to others, especially since it was difficult to know who could be trusted.&nbsp; Their social contracts to accompany one another in their difficulties, struggles, and even happiness, were broken.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="photoleft200"><img src="/site_media/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/craft_1404(wp)-3_small200.jpeg" alt="" width="200" height="170" />
<p class="caption">Border crossing at Douglas, AZ and Agua Prieta, Mexico</p>
</div>
<p>However, in spite of these stark realities, it is a unique miracle to see how these communities, in the midst of a tenuous peace achieved after the Sinaloa drug cartel gained control of the area, are seeking to regain their security, their lives.&nbsp; So as we stand at the preschool/day care of the Centro Familiar Cristiano (Christian Family Center) supported by Pasos de Fe, we look into young eyes that hope for something different, something new.&nbsp; They want to play; they want to revel in innocence.&nbsp; We smile and Matteo too runs off to play with the toys.&nbsp; It reminds us of the Easter promise&mdash;Jesus was resurrected to forgive our sins and offer us the chance to right the brokenness.&nbsp; As stated in Isaiah 25:8, &ldquo;The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth&rdquo; (NRSV), we rejoice in the Lord&rsquo;s salvation and hope. We look forward to being a part of a team that is striving to heal the brokenness as they reweave the fabric of community and faith.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We invite you to accompany us as we move into another phase in our faith journey, Omar as the Facilitator for ministries of the Presbyterian Border Region Outreach and I as the Regional Liaison for Mexico and Guatemala.&nbsp; As we move into these positions we will be relocating to the El Paso, Texas, area in mid-summer 2014.</p>
<p>You can accompany us by:</p>
<ol start="1">
<li>Praying for us and the ministries we engage in on behalf of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), serving with our global partners in Mexico and Guatemala.</li>
<li>Praying for our family as we make this move.&nbsp; Our oldest son, Alejandro, will be starting kindergarten in August and our youngest, Matteo, will be turning 2 in September.&nbsp; We will all be leaving wonderful memories from our time in Guatemala behind.</li>
<li>Supporting us financially&mdash;you can give to my sending and support at <a href="/donate/E200512">http://www.presbyterianmission.org/donate/E200512</a>. &nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /></li>
</ol>
<p>Thank you for your faithfulness and your desire to be participants in God&rsquo;s mission.&nbsp; We feel privileged that we can be such a direct part of this marvelous mission.</p>
<p>With the peace of Christ,</p>
<p>Amanda Craft and Omar Chan</p>
<p>The <em>2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study,</em> <a href="/yearbook/february-03/">p. 35</a><br /><a href="/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda/">Read more</a> about Amanda Craft and Omar Chan's ministries</p>
<p><a href="mailto:mamanda.craft@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Amanda Craft<br /><a href="mailto:Omar.chan@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Omar Chan<br /><em>Individuals:</em> <a href="/donate/E200512/">Give</a> online to E200512 for Amanda Craft and Omar Chan's sending and support<br /><em>Congregations:</em> Give to D507508 for Amanda Craft and Omar Chan's sending and support</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
</div>Amanda Craft and Omar ChanFri, 16 May 2014 10:41:44 -0400http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2014-052/A Letter from Amanda Craft, Regional Liaison for Mexico and Guatemala, Spring 2014http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2014-05/<h2 class="beta">A Letter from Amanda Craft, Regional Liaison for Mexico and Guatemala</h2>
<h4 class="zeta">Spring 2014<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h4>
<p><strong>1.</strong> I have transitioned fully into my new mission co-worker assignment as Regional Liaison for Mexico and Guatemala as of January 2014.&nbsp; This new role focuses on administrative, supervisory, and partnership responsibilities.&nbsp; As a Regional Liaison, I will be the person who maintains ongoing contact, communication, and collaboration with the PC(USA) global partners in this region.&nbsp; Those partners are:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">&bull; National Evangelical Church of Guatemala (IENPG in Spanish).&nbsp; This will include ongoing work with the Presbyterian Women of the church but more indirectly since the majority of my time will be spent relating to the leadership of the church.&nbsp; <a href="/ministries/global/guatemala/">Learn more</a>.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">&bull;The Evangelical Center for Pastoral Studies in Central America (CEDEPCA in Spanish).&nbsp; This is another partner in Guatemala.&nbsp; They focus on theological studies, gender justice with women, disaster ministries, and an intercultural encounters program (groups).&nbsp; <a href="http://www.cedepca.org/">Learn more</a>.<br /><br />&bull;Presbyterian Border Region Outreach (PBRO)&mdash;this group was formerly known as Presbyterian Border Ministries.&nbsp; It focuses on relationships between PC(USA) presbyteries and presbyteries of the Presbyterian Church of Mexico located along the Mexico/U.S. border.&nbsp; There are six different sites located between eastern Texas and San Diego, Calif. <a href="http://www.pcusa.org/news/2013/3/27/presbyterian-border-ministry-changes-name-mission-/">Learn more</a></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">&bull;Since the split with the Presbyterian Church of Mexico, the PC(USA) is exploring several other possibilities for partners in Mexico.&nbsp; Nothing official has been signed, but the PC(USA) is in conversation with the several other Protestant institutions in the region.&nbsp; As has been communicated with the Presbyterian Church of Mexico, the PC(USA) remains open to talking with them if they decide to renew their relationship.</p>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">&nbsp;</div>
<p><strong>2.</strong> My husband, Omar Chan, has recently been appointed to a new mission co-worker assignment.&nbsp; He assumed the responsibility of Facilitator for Border Ministries with the Presbyterian Border Region Outreach in January 2014.&nbsp; He was briefly working with me as Regional Liaison but found the PBRO work very interesting and decided to follow his call.&nbsp; He will be accompanying the different border ministry sites as they re-think their mission and ministries.&nbsp; Since he will need to be located along the border, we will be moving to the El Paso, Texas, area in June/July 2014.<br /><br /></p>
<p><strong>3.</strong> Since I have moved into a new position, I have been assigned a new Extra Commitment Opportunity (ECO) number.&nbsp; For those of you who have been supporting me in my previous position and feel called to continue to support me (and Omar) in our new roles, you may give in two ways:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">a. For churches&mdash;through our Designated Mission Support (DMS) account D507508. <br />b. For individuals&mdash;through our Extra Commitment Opportunity (ECO) account&nbsp; E200512.&nbsp; There is an option to give through my ECO account <a href="/donate/E200512/">online</a>.</p>
<p><strong>4.</strong> PC(USA) World Mission has appointed a couple to continue the work with Presbyterian Women <em>(Union Sinodica Femenil)</em> of the Presbyterian Church of Guatemala&mdash;my previous position.&nbsp; Sandi Thompson-Royer will be serving the women&rsquo;s organization and her husband Brian will be providing support to her and a few other possible projects. <a href="/ministries/missionconnections/thompson-royer-brian-and-sandi/">Learn more</a> about them. They will be moving to Guatemala in May and will spend three months in language training.&nbsp; I will be assisting them and the women in this time of transition.&nbsp; Please be praying for us all!<br /><br /></p>
<div class="photoright250" style="text-align: left;"><img src="/site_media/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/craft_1403(w)_1_medium250.png" alt="" width="250" height="187" />A recent picture of the boys&mdash;Alejandro, 4 1/2 years; Matteo, 1 1/2 years</div>
<p><strong>5.</strong> We are in the midst of bittersweet moments in our lives.&nbsp; As we think about moving to El Paso, Texas, we are really excited about the possibilities.&nbsp; Alejandro, our oldest, will be entering kindergarten.&nbsp; We have found that most schools in this part of the country offer dual language programs&mdash;and are the leaders in this kind of education in the U.S.&nbsp; So this will be excellent as he continues with both English and Spanish.&nbsp; Our youngest, Matteo, will be turning 2 in September, so we are researching preschool possibilities for him.&nbsp; Again, we have found two wonderful possibilities at Presbyterian &nbsp;churches.&nbsp; One is Montessori-based and dual language.&nbsp; The other incorporates the arts into their program.&nbsp; We&rsquo;ll need to decide soon as to which might be best.&nbsp; And we have lots of possibilities for a church family as well!&nbsp; We will, however, miss so much serving in Guatemala.&nbsp; This has been a great location for us to grow as a family.&nbsp; Life here is slower and focuses on the importance of maintaining relationships.&nbsp; We will miss the culture, the people, the deep commitment to faith, and the way of life.&nbsp; I will return for work, but those will only be for meetings.&nbsp; So, I ask for your prayers as we make this transition. &nbsp;<br /><br /></p>
<p>We sincerely thank you for your ongoing support, and are ever grateful that you choose to accompany us in such special and meaningful ways.&nbsp; We are uniquely privileged to experience the way God works in the world and touches the lives of so many.&nbsp; We invite you to continue to provide this support knowing that it allows these kinds of ministries to move and grow.&nbsp; If you are learning about this particular mission work for the first time, we invite you to come along and join us!</p>
<p>May God&rsquo;s many blessings be with you as we celebrate the promises offered through Jesus&rsquo; resurrection, and may those promises fill you with hope for what&rsquo;s possible.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With joy,<br />Amanda</p>
<p>The <em>2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study,</em> <a href="/yearbook/february-03/">p. 35</a><br /> <a href="/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda/">Read more</a> about Amanda Craft and Omar Chan's ministries</p>
<p><a href="mailto:mamanda.craft@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Amanda Craft<br /> <a href="mailto:Omar.chan@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Omar Chan<br /> <em>Individuals:</em> <a href="http://gamc.pcusa.org/give/E200512/">Give</a> online to E200512 for Amanda Craft and Omar Chan's sending and support<br /><em>Congregations:</em> Give to D507508 for Amanda Craft's sending and support</p>Amanda Craft and Omar ChanWed, 14 May 2014 11:19:12 -0400http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2014-05/A Letter from Amanda Craft in Guatemala, October 2013http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2013-10/<h2 class="beta">A Letter from Amanda Craft in Guatemala</h2>
<h4 class="zeta">October 2013</h4>
<div class="photoright250"><img src="/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/craft_1310-1_medium250.jpeg" alt="" width="250" height="187" />
<p class="caption">At Bare Bulb Coffee Shop. Rev. Nikki MacMillan is seated far left. Hermana Fulvia is standing at far left and Hermana Debora is standing on right.</p>
</div>
<p>We awoke early for yet again another full day.&nbsp; The women were visibly tired, but in spite of that they showed excitement for the upcoming day.&nbsp; We loaded the car for a lengthy but easy trip through beautiful rolling hills in southern Georgia.</p>
<p>The two Guatemalan guests and I were invited to visit Bare Bulb Coffee Shop and church community, a new church development project in Flint River Presbytery.&nbsp; The teaching elder there, Rev. Nikki MacMillan, had been to Guatemala a few years ago.&nbsp; It was important to Flint River Presbytery to be able to show the women how they were trying to do church in a new way in a changing religious landscape.&nbsp; The richness of the experience went far beyond those wishes.</p>
<p>When presbyteries and churches engage in mission partnerships, it can be difficult to define how each gives and receives.&nbsp; There is often a focus on how global partners are helped through these exchanges.&nbsp; Groups from the U.S. church travel to visit various programs and projects that are supported by their efforts.&nbsp; They can physically see the transformation occur before them.&nbsp; However, I think that something much more subtle and deep happens in these partnerships that is more challenging to explain and quantify for those from the United States.&nbsp; However, I experienced this something special on the day we visited Bare Bulb.</p>
<div class="photoleft250"><img src="/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/craft_1310-2_medium250.jpeg" alt="" width="250" height="223" />
<p class="caption">Hermanas Debora and Fulvia speaking at Flint River Presbytery meeting</p>
</div>
<p>The two women, Debora Martinez and Fulvia Rivas, were visiting as representatives of the Union Sinodica Femenil (Presbyterian Women) of the National Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Guatemala.&nbsp; Flint River Presbytery has enjoyed a partnership with the Sinodica for the past four years.&nbsp; We are still learning how to make this work well for all parties, and this visit was made possible to help strengthen those relationships.&nbsp; It was the first visit by Guatemalans to the presbytery.&nbsp; They had a busy schedule with early mornings and late nights; however, Flint River wanted to provide as many enriching experiences for the Guatemalans and the North Americans as they could.</p>
<p>This visit to Bare Bulb was to be rather informal.&nbsp; We were to have some time with Nikki and then with others as they filtered into the coffee shop.&nbsp; A mother and daughter joined us for lunch, and then we participated in a women&rsquo;s book study group and then a women&rsquo;s knitting group.&nbsp; I was not certain how the interactions would go and how the women would engage, but I was hopeful that the fluidness would lead to something powerful.&nbsp; And that&rsquo;s what happened.</p>
<div class="photoright250"><img src="/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/craft_1310-3_medium250.jpeg" alt="" width="249" height="265" />
<p class="caption">Hermanas Debora and Fulvia with Flint River Presbytery Moderator, Ed Booth</p>
</div>
<p>The book study group was working on Anne Lamott&rsquo;s new book on prayer, <em>Help, Thanks, Wow</em>.&nbsp; The group was discussing the section about asking for help through prayer.&nbsp; Culturally as North Americans, we are taught that asking for help often connotes weakness.&nbsp; We should be able to make it on our own.&nbsp; This is reflected in how we pray and communicate with God.&nbsp; It can be an obstacle in our relationship with God and understanding how God truly wants to interact with us.&nbsp; However, this limitation does not exist for most in Guatemala.&nbsp; In fact, the women were amazed that anyone would have a problem going to God since it is God who is in control.&nbsp; These two guests jumped in, offering a depth of experience about how prayer has affected and changed their lives.&nbsp; They could recount story after story of difficulty that was healed by God&rsquo;s hand through the invitation of prayer.&nbsp; The richness of their sharing was profound.&nbsp; Their message was simple.&nbsp; You do not have to worry about the words, because God already knows them.&nbsp; You just need to give time and attention to the practice.&nbsp; The beauty of the moment is that the others in the group gave the Guatemalan women the space to share.&nbsp; They asked questions about different kinds of prayer practices used in Guatemala.&nbsp; They were truly interested in learning.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So here were the Guatemalan women learning about a new way of doing church.&nbsp; And here were U.S. women learning how to pray differently.&nbsp; This is the majesty of the church family.&nbsp; We all have much to give and receive.&nbsp; We all have much to teach and to learn.&nbsp; Partnership is one vehicle to enable this sharing in a respectful and loving manner.&nbsp; I was glad to have been a part of this experience.&nbsp; I thank the many hands and hearts it took on behalf of Flint River Presbytery for making this trip a reality.&nbsp; There are a few who deserve a special thank-you for all that they invested in planning the trip&mdash;Pam Moye, former chair of the Guatemala Subcommittee; Gail Pursel, chair of the Guatemala Subcommittee; and Rev. Dr. Paul Luthman, Executive Presbyter.&nbsp; Without their energy and commitment, this trip would not have happened. I know that many fruits will come from it!</p>
<p>It is through your kind gifts and support that I can share stories like this one that touch us all. My gratitude is to each of you. I invite you to continue this journey with me, with my family, and with those in Mexico and Guatemala.&nbsp; We have much to learn from and to offer one another as God is revealed each day a bit more clearly.</p>
<p>Amanda</p>
<p>The<em> 2013 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study,</em> <a href="/yearbook/january-16/">p. 16</a><br /> The <em>2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study,</em> p. 35<br /> <a href="/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda/">Read more</a> about Amanda Craft's ministry<br /> Blog: <a href="http://amandacraft.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/reflection-on-the-un-commission-on-the-status-of-women/">Walking with Guatemalan sisters of faith</a></p>
<p><a href="mailto:mamanda.craft@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Amanda Craft<br /> <em>Individuals:</em> <a href="http://gamc.pcusa.org/give/E200334/">Give</a> online to E200334 for Amanda Craft's sending and support<em><br />Congregations:</em> Give to D507508 for Amanda Craft's sending and support</p>Amanda Craft and Omar ChanFri, 15 Nov 2013 10:36:44 -0500http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2013-10/A Letter from Amanda Craft in Guatemala, Winter 2013http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2013-03/<h2 class="beta">A Letter from Amanda Craft in Guatemala</h2>
<h4 class="zeta">Winter</h4>
<div class="photoright200"><img src="/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/craft_1304-1_small200.jpeg" alt="" width="200" height="266" />
<p class="caption">Susy Rosal Saagastume de Miranda - leading a workshop on women's leadership</p>
</div>
<p>Sunday, March 17, 2013, was a historic day in the life of the National Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Guatemala (IENPG).&nbsp; Another woman was ordained and installed as a pastor of Word and Sacrament&mdash;this makes four women currently serving as pastors.&nbsp; This day was significant because this woman is the first for her presbytery, Centro, and because the service was moderated by a woman, Elder Ester Polo de Sanchez.&nbsp; This is the first time in the history of the church a woman moderator has had the privilege to do so.&nbsp; We must celebrate!</p>
<p>Miriam Azucena (Susy) Rosal Sagastume de Miranda is a daughter, a sister, a mother, a wife, a pediatrician, and now a pastor.&nbsp; She has been ready and seeking a call for some time and has worked closely with the presbytery&rsquo;s women&rsquo;s organization as their advisor.&nbsp; She first thanked the women of the presbyterial for encouraging her to seek ordination as a pastor.&nbsp; Leaders from the Uni&oacute;n Sin&oacute;dica Femenil (the national women&rsquo;s organization) were also unwavering supporters of her call.&nbsp; It was evident by the groups of supporters she named that women were instrumental in this process.&nbsp; There were even three women presbytery members serving on the ordination/installation committee.</p>
<div class="photoleft300"><img src="/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/craft_1304-2_medium300.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="179" />
<p class="caption">Image from the commisioning service - Susy is in the middle and Ester is standing at the mic</p>
</div>
<p>Ephesians 4:11-12 (NRSV) tells us, &ldquo;The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ&rdquo; as a reminder that we are all called in different ways to build up the body of Christ.&nbsp; There should be celebration when the church becomes that space where members come together giving voice to our calls and accompanying one another to try to make those calls a reality.&nbsp; The National Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Guatemala was that kind of place on March 17.&nbsp; It was an honor and privilege to be present to share in such an important occasion.</p>
<p>The congregation that called Susy is small and has struggled to find its way the past few years.&nbsp; However, those present for the installation showed signs of excitement.&nbsp; Although there is much work to be done, I believe many in this particular church are ready to dive in and work with Pastor Susy.</p>
<p>My prayers:</p>
<blockquote><ol start="1">
<li>That the energy felt on this momentous day continue throughout the next weeks, months, and years to help carry this congregation into the next phase of its journey.&nbsp;</li>
<li>That God&rsquo;s presence be felt as this congregation moves forward under new leadership.&nbsp; May members and pastor listen to one another, share grace with one another, and understand the gifts and talents they bring.&nbsp; May they learn to live in mutual respect working to glorify God&rsquo;s world.</li>
<li>I also pray for the day when there is no longer &ldquo;Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female,&rdquo; and that the church becomes a place in which we all belong equally and can all serve as we feel called.&nbsp; AMEN.</li>
</ol></blockquote>
<p>This is the first ordination/installation service for a pastor I have attended during my time here in Guatemala.&nbsp; As I serve the Uni&oacute;n Sin&oacute;dica Femenil, we have talked about how to support women leaders in the church.&nbsp; It is not always an easy path for women in this church as they often feel excluded, marginalized, or ignored.&nbsp; The Sin&oacute;dica as an organization has struggled as well since not all women are in agreement over women&rsquo;s ordination.&nbsp; However, the Sin&oacute;dica leadership has lived in this tension and fall on the side of mutual respect.&nbsp; When opportunities to accompany someone like Susy arise, the women rally and support her.&nbsp; The ministry of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) with Presbyterian women of Guatemala has been strong and profound.&nbsp; The relationship with female church leaders from the PC(USA) has significantly influenced women and men in the Guatemalan Presbyterian Church in positive ways.&nbsp; This particular mission co-worker position in which I currently serve has allowed for those relationships to widen and deepen.&nbsp; As I said at Susy&rsquo;s installation service, it is a privilege when I can represent the PC(USA) at such events, &nbsp;knowing that it is through God&rsquo;s will that we can celebrate this occasion together.&nbsp; Accompanying women leaders like Susy is an important ministry that feeds us all beyond measure.&nbsp; I extend my and the women&rsquo;s gratitude for your financial and spiritual support that allows this ministry to continue, and I hope you will continue to prayerfully, spiritually, and financially support this ministry.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Congratulations and blessings to Susy.&nbsp; The road ahead may not be easy and will probably have its ups and downs, but may she feel fulfilled and may the congregation feel inspired and motivated by their choice.</p>
<p>Amanda</p>
<p>The<em> 2013 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study,</em> <a href="/yearbook/january-16/">p. 16</a><br /> <a href="/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda/">Read more</a> about Amanda Craft's ministry<br /> Blog: <a href="http://amandacraft.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/reflection-on-the-un-commission-on-the-status-of-women/">Walking with Guatemalan sisters of faith</a></p>
<p><a href="mailto:mamanda.craft@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Amanda Craft<br /> <a href="http://gamc.pcusa.org/give/E200334/">Give</a> to Amanda Craft's sending and support</p>Amanda Craft and Omar ChanThu, 25 Apr 2013 12:01:55 -0400http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2013-03/A Letter from Amanda Craft in Guatemala, August 2012http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2012-08/<h2 class="beta">A Letter from Amanda Craft in Guatemala</h2>
<h4 class="zeta">August 2012</h4>
<p>Hermana Amanda Godoy de Santos has always been kind.&nbsp; She embodies patience, gentleness, and grace.&nbsp; I have enjoyed working with her through the Sinodica and through her Presbiterial of Suchitepequez. &nbsp;From my own observations, this seems true for other women as well.&nbsp; Because of her hard work and supportiveness she portrays a firmness that makes me assume her life has been relatively calm, but a long car ride proved that wrong.</p>
<div class="photoright150"><img src="/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/craft_1208-1_small150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="246" />
<p class="caption">Amanda Godoy de Santos presenting a report on the work of the Theological Scholarship Committee for the Union Sinodica</p>
</div>
<p>Amanda grew up along the Pacific coast of Guatemala.&nbsp; She is the second youngest child of four children.&nbsp; She is the youngest girl.&nbsp; Her mother&rsquo;s pregnancy was emotionally turbulent; she discovered that her husband had another family.&nbsp; Unfortunately, Amanda&rsquo;s mother associated the infidelity with this daughter.&nbsp; In later years Amanda was often blamed as the reason her father left or looked for another woman.&nbsp; The relationship with her mother was never one filled with love or support but was one of struggle and rejection. &nbsp;Also because of the instability in her parents&rsquo; relationship, Amanda was able to finish formal study only up to the 6<sup>th</sup> grade.&nbsp; Her childhood was one robbed of innocence and love, and Amanda fought to find a place of comfort.</p>
<p>After working several odd jobs, mainly as a domestic worker in homes around her community, Amanda found a place of comfort in a local Pentecostal church.&nbsp; Her mother challenged her decision since the family saw no need to attend such a church, one that was only judgmental and full of laws and regulations that restricted living.&nbsp; She claimed Amanda only wanted to feel morally superior to the rest of the family.&nbsp; However, for Amanda this was a place where people cared about her and her well-being.&nbsp; She did not feel judged or rejected here; in fact, she felt fed by the Word she heard and the ministry of the church.&nbsp; This was a place where she could grow.&nbsp; She even found her husband there&mdash;he was the son of the pastor.</p>
<div class="photoleft200"><img src="/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/craft_1208-2_small200.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="191" />
<p class="caption">Amanda Godoy de Santos presenting a report on the work of her Presbiterial at the Annual Convention of the Union Sinodica</p>
</div>
<p>Amanda has left that congregation because she moved her family to another community closer to Guatemala City for economic reasons.&nbsp; In their new community Amanda found the Presbyterian Church.&nbsp; She quickly became involved in the life of the church and the local women&rsquo;s organization.&nbsp; Again, she felt the love and support that she had lacked in her childhood.&nbsp; The presbytery women&rsquo;s group also found Amanda&rsquo;s gifts and skills helpful in their ministry to others in need.&nbsp; Out of Amanda&rsquo;s own pain came her ability to know how to love unconditionally and without prejudice.&nbsp; She does not love because she expects something in return.&nbsp; She loves for the sole reason of loving.&nbsp; Her unique ministry within the church is about accompanying those in pain and finding a way to allow them to feel support, mercy, and love.&nbsp; She always asks me, &ldquo;That really is God&rsquo;s Good News, right?&rdquo;&nbsp; And it is, simply.&nbsp; Even in the midst of daily challenges and struggles, Amanda still believes it is her calling to first care for others in need.&nbsp;</p>
<p>What still impresses me about Amanda&rsquo;s story is that she could have easily turned away from God, blaming God for her unlucky circumstances.&nbsp; But Amanda has never once placed any blame there.&nbsp; The pain she felt during her childhood was caused by human shortcomings, not by an uncaring God.&nbsp; Now she has seen the goodness God promises and provides.&nbsp; Out of her own healing through the church, Amanda has found a space to work on reconciling with her mother.&nbsp; She has told me that she has forgiven her mother but that reconciliation takes time.&nbsp; &ldquo;But I am hopeful that God will bring us back together, but not as mother and daughter but as sisters in Christ,&rdquo; Amanda tells me.&nbsp; From her sharing, I do not believe Amanda is trying to recover the lost love but to find a place of mutual respect built on the foundations of Christ.&nbsp; This is the perfect example of the woman Amanda has become: one of faith, one of patience, one of respect, and one of love.&nbsp; I now understand that our journeys are not always filled with happiness and joy, but they deeply shape who we become.&nbsp;&nbsp; However, with encounters with Christ and Christ&rsquo;s peace, we can be transformed from a broken people to those made whole.&nbsp; Amanda is one mentor who has shown me this truth.</p>
<div class="photoright200"><img src="/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/craft_1208-3_small200.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="149" />
<p class="caption">Amanda Godoy de Santos at the presbytery women's annual gathering. Amanda is in the middle with a beige top on</p>
</div>
<p>Scripture reflection, excerpt from Luke 7:36-50:<br /><em>Then turning toward the woman, he [Jesus] said to Simon, &ldquo;Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.&nbsp; You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet.&nbsp; You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.&nbsp; Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love.&nbsp; But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.&rdquo; But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, &ldquo;Who is this who even forgives sins?&rdquo;&nbsp; And he said to the woman, &ldquo;Your faith has saved you; go in peace&rdquo;</em>&nbsp; (Luke 7:44-50, NRSV).</p>
<p>Prayer:<br />I pray for the countless children who grow up in an environment stripped of love, joy, and support.&nbsp; May they know they are not forgotten.&nbsp; You call us to be people of comfort to these children, providing them with your love and peace, because we know you have a special calling for each of us.&nbsp; May we look at their brokenness and understand how we can help make them whole so that they have the opportunity to live out their own special call.&nbsp; And may we continue to pray from women like Amanda who decide not to live out of a place of hate but a place of love&mdash;sharing your peace, mercy, and love unconditionally.&nbsp; AMEN.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Amanda</p>
<p>Blog: <a href="http://amandacraft.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/reflection-on-the-un-commission-on-the-status-of-women/">Walking with Guatemalan sisters of faith</a><br />The<em> 2012 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study,</em> p. 6</p>
<p><a href="mailto:mamanda.craft@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Amanda Craft<br /> <a href="http://gamc.pcusa.org/give/E200334/">Give</a> to Amanda Craft's sending and support</p>Amanda Craft and Omar ChanFri, 31 Aug 2012 14:57:22 -0400http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2012-08/A Letter from Amanda Craft in Guatemala, April 2012http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2012-04/<h2 class="beta">A Letter from Amanda Craft in Guatemala</h2>
<h4 class="zeta">April 2012</h4>
<p>Job 11:15-18: &ldquo;<em>Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be secure, and will not fear. You will forget your misery; you will remember it as waters that have passed away.&nbsp; And your life will be brighter than the noonday; its darkness will be like the morning.&nbsp; And you will have confidence, because there is hope; you will be protected and take your rest in safety&rdquo; </em>(New Revised Standard Version).</p>
<p><strong></strong>It was getting late into the night, and I could not understand why the women were dragging business out this late.&nbsp; I was exhausted from hosting them and, honestly, I needed sleep.&nbsp; But there they were, sharing experiences that were off point and seemingly unaffected by the hour.&nbsp; As I finally turned in that night, I thought maybe it was just a desire to stay in Antigua and venture out the next day to see some of the Lenten activities.&nbsp; The next morning, however, explained everything.</p>
<p>The women had pushed the meeting so long so that no one would head home because they were to throw a baby shower for me the next morning.&nbsp; Yes, I am pregnant with our second child, and since I will be back in the United States for itineration assignment during much of my pregnancy, the leadership of the Uni&oacute;n Sin&oacute;dica wanted to have a chance to celebrate this new blessing with me.&nbsp; This was an unexpected gift. One thing I enjoy about Guatemalan women is their connection to motherhood and childbearing.&nbsp; It is still assumed culturally that as a woman you will have children.&nbsp; Children are a sign of God&rsquo;s blessing.&nbsp; So these women have a rich tradition and experience when it comes to bearing and raising children.&nbsp; As part of the baby shower they offered countless suggestions and advice on this coming child.&nbsp; All of which was very helpful.&nbsp; But two things stuck with me most strongly:&nbsp; (1) this child is God&rsquo;s gift and blessing to me and my family and God has known this child long before conception, and (2) Hermana Berta shared the above Scripture from Job, saying that no matter how long, hard or scary labor can be, I must remember that God is with me and will keep me and my child safe.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="photoleft250"><img src="/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/craft_1204-1_medium250.jpg" alt="" width="249" height="333" />
<p class="caption">baby shower gift</p>
</div>
<p>I have been so busy being a working mom that I had forgotten what a joy it is to welcome another child into this world.&nbsp; The leadership of the Uni&oacute;n Sin&oacute;dica reminded me kindly of this unique right.&nbsp; This child is and will be loved by many beyond our family ties.&nbsp; This truly is a blessing!&nbsp; And, yes, labor is scary and hard, but I must remember that God is with me and will provide medical professionals and loved ones who will accompany me on that journey, and the finale cannot be more beautiful.&nbsp;&nbsp; So yet again the women have taught me another important lesson in my faith journey.&nbsp; And as my September 24<sup>th</sup> due date comes closer, I smile thinking of this life and gift that will soon be a part of our family.&nbsp; I also smile knowing I have many &ldquo;sisters&rdquo; who will help me along the way.</p>
<p>I will be back in the United States June&ndash;December 2012 for itineration assignment and would love to visit your church and presbytery.&nbsp; My maternity leave will run sometime from late September through early November.&nbsp; If a possible visit can be worked out, please let me know.&nbsp; I have much to share from these past few years in the mission field!</p>
<p>Amanda</p>
<p>Blog: <a href="http://amandacraft.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/reflection-on-the-un-commission-on-the-status-of-women/">Walking with Guatemalan sisters of faith</a></p>
<p>The<em> 2012 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study,</em> p. 6</p>
<p><a href="mailto:mamanda.craft@pcusa.org">Write</a> to Amanda Craft</p>
<p><a href="/give/E200334/">Give</a> to Amanda Craft's sending and support</p>Amanda Craft and Omar ChanWed, 02 May 2012 11:58:06 -0400http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-2012-04/A Letter from Amanda Craft in Guatemala, August 2011http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-201108/<h2 class="beta">A Letter from Amanda Craft in Guatemala</h2>
<h4 class="zeta">August 2011</h4>
<div class="photoright300"><img src="/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/crafta-1108a.jpg" alt="Three Quiche women in traditional clothing." width="300" height="224" />
<p class="caption">Maya Quiche women.</p>
</div>
<p>Dignity Lost&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>All those living on the <em>finca</em> work for and rent land and house from the landowner.&nbsp; Accommodations are very basic wood-paneled, one-room homes.&nbsp; </li>
<li>Many families have lived on the <em>finca</em> for generations without hope of owning land themselves.</li>
<li>With a decrease in the market value of coffee, many workers have lost jobs because owners decide to grow less of the product.</li>
<li>The decrease in value has also meant a decrease in pay.</li>
<li>Many families live separately as men travel to other cities or <em>fincas</em> looking for work.</li>
<li>Women are left working the fields and caring for their families trying to meet daily needs through backbreaking work.</li>
</ul>
<p>Dignity Won</p>
<ul>
<li>With a new <em>finca</em> owner, the workers were able to negotiate the installation of running water, alleviating the need to walk to the river to bring back water.</li>
<li>Presbyterians living on the <em>finca</em> also negotiated land to construct a simple church building on the premises. It is the only church present besides the Catholic church.</li>
<li>Women enjoy a bit of freedom since their husbands are not always present. They become the head of the household, making decisions about how to best care for their families and being able to spend more time in the public sphere working in the church and community.</li>
<li>It is the women who maintain the church and make up the most active and involved members.</li>
<li>The Maya Quich&eacute; named their first female lay pastor to care for the church in early 2011. </li>
</ul>
<p>The women of the Maya Quich&eacute; Presbytery decided to host their convention on a small <em>finca</em> located in the mountains south of Quetzaltenango.&nbsp; <em>Finca</em> San Jos&eacute; de la Vi&ntilde;a was not an easy place to get to, especially for those traveling by public transportation.&nbsp; The scenery was picturesque but the cobble-stoned/gravel road leading into the <em>finca</em> was at times questionable.&nbsp; But after being there a few minutes, watching the local women taking care of things, I understood the decision.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The women decided to come to this remote location not because of its ease or nearness but because they wanted to support the women in this church.&nbsp; In early 2011 the Maya Quich&eacute; Presbytery nominated its first-ever female lay pastor.&nbsp; Most of those participating in the daily life of the church were women, and this particular woman continued to fulfill the tasks of any pastor.&nbsp; With controversial support, the presbytery saw no other option and appointed her to this position.&nbsp; The men in the local church were angered by the decision and have made it difficult for her to do her ministry effectively.&nbsp; So the women chose this site as a sign of solidarity.&nbsp; We ate with these women, we slept on their floors, and we worshiped in their church.&nbsp; The women of the presbytery conducted their business in the church, electing new members and bringing greetings to all of those present.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The women of the Maya Quich&eacute; Presbytery are stretched in their ministry by a particular number of leaders in their midst.&nbsp; These women have had extraordinary opportunities in their churches and communities to see the world and their faith differently.&nbsp; Much of what has changed their perspective is interaction with Presbyterian women from the United States.&nbsp; They have met women elders and pastors.&nbsp; They have met women lay leaders who take on distinct leadership roles to engage the church in justice ministries.&nbsp; Several of the women have also had extended interaction with PC(USA) mission personnel, who have encouraged them to work in areas and ministries that relate specifically to women and the issues that affect women. &nbsp;Each time I visit these women I am surprised by their willingness to learn new skills and new ways of doing ministry.&nbsp; Their faith leads them to new places and new perspectives.&nbsp; It is refreshing and inspiring, especially in the midst of presbytery leadership that is not always supportive.&nbsp; However, they have seen that women&rsquo;s work and ministry in the church is another essential piece required to fully glorify God and to bring God&rsquo;s care to those in need.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Amanda Craft</p>
<p>The <em>2011 Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study,</em> p. 286</p>
<p>Blog: <a href="http://amandacraft.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/reflection-on-the-un-commission-on-the-status-of-women/">Walking with Guatemalan sisters of faith</a><a href="mailto:amanda.craft@pcusa.org"><br />Write</a> to Amanda Craft<a href="/give/E200334/"><br />Give</a> to Amanda Craft's sending and support</p>Amanda Craft and Omar ChanThu, 01 Sep 2011 11:20:57 -0400http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-201108/A Letter from Amanda Craft in Guatemala, February 25,2010http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-20100225/<h2 class="beta">A Letter from Amanda Craft in Guatemala</h2>
<h4 class="zeta">February 25,2010</h4>
<h4 class="theta">First Year of Service: told in brief</h4>
<p>The New Year has come and gone, as well as the resolutions. As the Lenten season comes upon us, I realize that I need to ask for forgiveness and try to keep up with my resolutions.</p>
<p>One resolution is to renew my commitment to sharing my experiences in Guatemala with those in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This past year was a whirlwind of transitions, and my commitment to sharing the story got lost in the process. As I become more comfortable with my new roles, mission co-worker and mother, the fogginess subsides and my excitement to involve others in this journey grows. And clarity always seems easier on a beautiful, clear, sunny day in Guatemala.</p>
<p>So how do I briefly wrap up an entire year in Guatemala? What comes to mind is motherhood. Women in Guatemala are extremely proud of their role as mother. They take the responsibility of caring for the next generation with great sincerity and compassion. It often defines the woman in Guatemalan society.</p>
<p>Becoming a mother myself introduced me into their world in a way I never thought possible. I was accepted into their lives as a fellow mother, one who now had the responsibility of raising a child. It was also clear that they felt it was part of their duty as a community to help raise my son as well. There were countless times when childrearing advice was given without question. It was evident that I had much to learn, and they were more than willing to help out. That even meant rocking a crying baby to sleep.</p>
<p>After conquering the overwhelming sense of how I lacked the proper skills to raise children, I came to understand the women's intentions. They, for the most part, are the ones who make sure children's daily needs are met. They are the ones who ensure the cultural and religious traditions continue in the next generation. They have enormous pressure placed on their shoulders as they care for their children.</p>
<div class="photoright264"><img src="/media/uploads/missionconnections/images/crafta-1002a.jpg" alt="Photo of nine women sitting in a boat. The one closest to the camera holds a small boy in her lap." width="264" height="193" /><br /> Ethan Alejandro with women of the Union Sin&oacute;dica, the national Presbyterian Women&rsquo;s group of Guatemala.</div>
<p>In short, they are answering God's call. This is their special ministry, their gift to the community. It is in these crossroads where our journeys intersect that I come to understand what it means to be part of the Christian family. Here are sisters in Christ taking intentional care of me and my son sharing God's grace and compassion. And as I struggle with this new call, they walk alongside me as my accompaniers, which is ironic. When people in the United States ask me to explain my job I often say that I accompany the women in their ministry. However, the truth is that they are the ones accompanying me on this faithful and spiritual journey as we strive to share our faith with the next generation.</p>
<p>God calls each of us in unique ways and the beauty of answering the call is the people that you meet along the way. God's family is rich and wise, and this is evident in the women of Guatemala. I look forward to this year as we accompany each other mutually.</p>
<p>How can you accompany the women of Guatemala?</p>
<p>They invite you to participate in the World Day of Prayer on Friday, March 5th. You can find more information about the day at the <a href="http://www.worlddayofprayer.net/">World Day of Prayer Web site</a>.</p>
<p>As this letter arrives, I know many thoughts and prayers will be with the people of Haiti. If you are interested in helping, please visit <a href="http://www.pcusa.org/pda/">Presbyterian Disaster Assistance</a>.</p>
<p>Thank you for supporting me, my family and my ministry in Guatemala. The women and I are grateful for your spiritual and financial support.</p>
<p>Blessings of Christ&rsquo;s peace,<br /> Amanda</p>
<p>The 2010 <em>Mission Yearbook for Prayer &amp; Study</em>, p. 277</p>Amanda Craft and Omar ChanMon, 10 May 2010 11:16:27 -0400http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/missionconnections/craft-amanda-20100225/